Ecuadorian textile art is a product of cultural blending that is an honored ancestral tradition, especially the ikat dyeing technique which is used to create hand-made ethnic garments known as makanas. Due to a lack of appreciation for tradition, low tourism rates, and the increase of globalization, there has been a decrease in the use of traditional ikat. Commissioned by Casa Museo de la Makana, our team created a set of guidelines for best practices that could be used to preserve the culture of the makana. Through investigating textile museums, the current operations of Casa Museo, and past visitor experiences, our team recommended different practices most relevant to the museum and its purpose. These guidelines serve as a readily available resource for Casa Museo for future projects.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Petros, Elia M.
• Mihaleva, Rositsa A.
• Silvera, Ashli J.
• Drake, Mikaela L.

Subject

• Learning
• Culture
• Innovation

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-031821-131856
• 6006

Keyword

• Casa Museo de la Makana
• Museum Exhibition
• Ikat
• Cultural Preservation
• Textile
• Gualaceo, Ecuador

Advisor

• Miller, Fabienne
• Elgert, Laureen

Year

• 2021

Center

• Cuenca, Ecuador Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Don José Jiménez

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Date created

• 2021-03-18

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2021-05-03